This summer, Ramapo College will be hosting a class on economics instruction as a chance for experienced high school teachers to earn up to 40 professional development hours, which are needed for teachers to comply with teacher certification requirements. The program will run from July 13 to the 16, with the class running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The cost of the program is $415. It includes breakfast and lunch each day, as well as free overnight housing on the College’s campus. Registration for the program begins on May 15.
According to Ramapo’s website, this program is all a part of the four-day Teach the Teachers Initiative. The American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), the company that created this initiative, describes it as a program that “provides customized training that gives teachers the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively deliver high-quality economics instruction," according to their website.
The course offered will count for professional development hours and aims to enhance teachers’ skills and knowledge on teaching the subject of economics. Teachers will design an economics lesson plan to bring back to their schools. AIER believes this program will be in high demand due to the fact that economics is one of the four strands in New Jersey’s core curriculum standards.
The program provides teachers a step-by-step program for delivering high quality economics instruction, according to Ramapo’s press release regarding the program. Teachers who complete the program, test their lesson plan in the classroom and provide feedback to AIER receive a $200 stipend from the company.
The program is mostly designed for experienced high school teachers whose concentrations are in economics, business education, history, math, English, social sciences and related fields. The integration of economic concepts is now required to be worked into the subjects of world history, United States history and New Jersey history. At each level of social studies in grades K-12, economic concepts are taught and assessed. The program explores specific economic concepts, such as money and inflation, business cycles, government and unemployment; however, teachers of all fields are encouraged to apply.
AIER defined their reason for creating this program as a part of achieving their mission statement: “AIER strives to empower people through economic research by helping to navigate today’s complex economy and understand how it affects an individual’s finances, family, community and the nation.”
The professional hours will be provided by TMI Education. TMI Education is a scholastic resource and professional development services provider serving the K-12 and higher education learning community, as well as international ministries of education.
Prospective applicants are invited to learn more about the program by visiting the website at www.ramapo.edu/cipl/cipl/tti, or by contacting the Ramapo College Center for Innovative and Professional Learning at 201-684-7370 or at cipl@ramapo.edu.
lheckelm@ramapo.edu
